B4
THE ASTORIAN • TuESdAy, ApRIl 20, 2021
FIELD TEST
Candidates Wanted
URGENT NOTICE: You may be qualified
to participate in a special Field Test of
new hearing instrument technology
being held at a local test site.
U.S. Forest Service
Lloyd’s of London insures Oregon against some of the expenses of fighting wildfires.
Lloyd’s of London could once
again pay for Oregon wildfire costs
Department of Forestry was about $130 mil-
lion. The bill was offset by more than $70 mil-
lion in federal disaster aid, along with fees the
SALEM — With the prospect of a cata- state earned for fighting fires on land it did not
strophic 2021 fire season looming, Oregon control and reimbursement for other aid.
will rely again on its one-of-a-kind $25 mil-
“The cost for suppressing the 2020 wild-
lion wildfire risk policy with the world’s old- fires is estimated at just under $50 million,
est continually active insurance marketplace.
which is why it did not trigger the policy,”
Lloyd’s of London, which traces its roots to Gersbach said.
a 17th century coffeehouse near the Tower of
The current policy runs through April 15,
London, has insured the Oregon Department 2022. Lloyd’s of London accounts for 90% of
of Forestry against wildfire
the policy cost, while Nash-
ville-based Acceptance Insur-
losses since 1973. No other
THE PLAN WILL ance carried 10%.
state has wildfire insurance.
“It’s a catastrophic fire-
The Legislature will vote
PAY UP TO
fighting expense policy,”
on a portion of the premium
said Department of Forestry
in the Department of Forestry
$25 MILLION
spokesman Jim Gersbach.
budget, which is now before
OF WILDFIRE
Oregon’s
trees
are
the Joint Ways and Means
among Lloyd’s one-of-a-
Committee.
COSTS IN
kind insurance policies that
When Lloyd’s of Lon-
don and the state negoti-
have included 1940s actress
OREGON.
ated a renewal of the policy,
Betty Grable’s legs, come-
UNDER THE
dian Jimmy Durante’s out-
it included a relatively mod-
sized nose, rock star Bruce
est 3% premium increase
POLICY,
Springsteen’s voice, Rolling
to $4,131,871 per year. The
OREGON
Stones guitarist Keith Rich-
cost is split between the state
ards’ hands, and crooner Tom
and private timberland own-
COVERS THE
ers. Landowners pay their
Jones’ chest hair.
The plan will pay up to
share through a property tax
FIRST $50
$25 million of wildfire costs
formula.
MILLION IN
in Oregon. Under the pol-
The Department of For-
icy, Oregon covers the first
estry, which holds the insur-
FIRE COSTS,
ance contract for the state,
$50 million in fire costs, then
Lloyd’s pays the next $25
THEN LLOYD’S says the policy has saved the
state millions over the years.
million.
PAYS THE NEXT The agency is responsible for
Anything above that level
is paid for by the state. When
about 16 million acres of for-
$25 MILLION.
ested land — about half the
costs get that high, federal
total in the state.
disaster money usually pays
The Department of Forestry is also the
for a large share of the costs.
The worst wildfires in the state’s his- key firefighting agency on 2.3 million acres
tory swept down out of the west Cascades controlled by the U.S. Bureau of Land
slopes into the Willamette Valley over the Management.
2020 Labor Day weekend. The 16 major fires
“This helps the agency keep fires from
burned 1 million acres, destroyed more than spreading to other ODF-protected lands, min-
4,000 homes and other structures, caused imizing overall cost and potential loss,” Gers-
40,000 people to be evacuated, and killed 11 bach said. “If a fire on BLM land escapes
initial attack, BLM is no longer eligible to
people.
By the third week of September, the North- receive large fire cost reimbursement.
west Interagency Coordination Center, a logis-
In those cases, BLM must reimburse the
tical center for regional wildfire response, esti- state for the Department of Forestry’s fire-
mated Oregon’s fires would cost $53 million, fighting costs. Reimbursements for the 2020
which put the state and Lloyd’s on alert that a fires are one of the reasons the overall costs to
claim might be filed.
the department fell below the minimum level
The final cost of the Oregon wildfires to the for the Lloyd’s policy to be activated.
By GARY WARNER
Oregon Capital Bureau
An industry leader in digital hearing devices is
sponsoring a product field test in your area next
week and they have asked us to select up to
15 qualified candidates to participate. They are
interested in determining the benefits of GENIUS™
4.0 Technology in eliminating the difficulty hearing
aid users experience in difficult environments, such
as those with background noise or multiple talkers.
Candidates in other test areas have reported very
positive feedback so far.
We are looking for additional candidates in
Warrenton and the surrounding areas.
Dates: Apr 20th-Apr 23rd, 2021
Miracle-Ear Center
Youngs Bay Plaza
173 S. Hwy 101
Warrenton, OR 97146
(503) 836-7921
Miracle-Ear Center
2505 Main Ave N, Suite C
Tillamook, OR 97141
(503) 836-7926
In an effort to accurately demonstrate the incredible
performance of these devices, specially trained
representatives will be conducting testing and
demonstrations during this special event.
In addition to an audiometric hearing evaluation,
candidates will receive a fiber-optic otoscope exam,
a painless procedure that could reveal common
hearing problems such as excessive wax or damage
to the eardrum, as well as other common cause of
hearing deficiencies.
Qualified Field Test Candidates:
• Live in Warrenton or the surrounding area
• Are at least 55 years of age or older
• Have experienced some level of hearing difficulty,
or currently wear hearing aids
• Don’t currently work for a market research
company
FIELD TEST
PARTICIPANTS
Will be tested and
selected same-day.
Husband feels unappreciated
Dear Annie: I’ve been married for 26 Couples therapy could help ease this conver-
years. I have a 24-year-old son at home on the sation, so that pent-up resentments could be
autism spectrum, and his 4-year-old daugh- dealt with calmly.
ter, of whom he has full custody. They get by
Dear Annie: I read with interest the letter
with my help, and money, of course.
from the 63-year-old mother whose children
I have always been a very loving and sup- felt she was wasting her money by going back
portive husband. I cook, clean, do laundry to school and finishing her degree. I dropped
and whatever else needs to be done. I’m get- out of college to put my husband through
ting older now and developing arthritis. For school when his father became ill and could
a while, I would push through the pain to not help him financially anymore.
pamper my wife. Now, when we sit down,
After four children, two of whom got col-
she throws her leg on me and says, “Rub my lege degrees, I decided to go back to college
and finish my degree. I chose to major
feet.” I didn’t mind when she appre-
ciated it, but now that she expects it,
in accounting.
DEAR
this ruins it for me. If I say no, she
I graduated cum laude at the age
ANNIE
gets upset.
of 56. It took me seven months to get
When I try to talk to her about it,
the job of my dreams, but after eight
she turns it back on me and says that I
years of working, my husband and I
shouldn’t blame her for my problems.
were able to pay everything off, accu-
mulate a great nest egg and now we
She said that since I’ve been doing
can travel wherever we want. Better
it so long, she just expects it. This is
yet, our children don’t have to worry
not very comforting. She said, “Why
don’t you have some alone time and ANNIE LANE about taking care of us if things were
Creators
to get bad.
do something that makes you happy?”
Syndicate Inc.
For 26 years, I’ve never had alone
Our children would not have dared
time. I go to work, and then go home
to tell me I was making a mistake,
to my family. If I tell my wife I want to go even though my husband had a nice pen-
somewhere by myself, she assumes I’m going sion in addition to Social Security. I don’t
to meet another woman. Plus, after 26 years know what this woman’s situation is, but she
of only thinking about my family, I have no is making a great choice to go for what she
clue what makes me happy. I just know I’m wants. I hope she finishes what she started. —
Happy I Went Back to College
not. — Resentment
Dear Resentment: No one likes to feel
Dear Happy I Went Back: Thank you
unappreciated. Your wife ordering you to rub for sharing your letter. You set a wonderful
her feet sounds like she is acting more like a example that it is never too late to fulfill your
tyrant than a considerate, loving partner. Then dreams and that taking risks can pay off. Con-
again, you have allowed this reign of terror grats again. In addition to the financial secu-
rity that you have achieved, you have the
for quite some time.
Instead of brewing like a little teakettle knowledge that you acquired by going back
that is going to blow, just tell her exactly how to school.
you feel. It is understandable that her lack of
I am reminded of a family saying: “You can
appreciation has made you not want to do nice lose your money, your looks and your youth,
things for her, but you have to tell her that. but no one can take away your education.”
We have a limited supply of the GENIUS™ 4.0 test
product currently on hand and ready for testing.
We have also been authorized to offer significant
discounts if you decide to take the hearing
instruments home. If you choose not to keep them,
there’s no risk or obligation of any kind.†
TO PARTICIPATE:
1. You must be one of the first 15 people to call our
office Mention Code: 21AprField.
2. You will be required to have your hearing tested
in our office, FREE OF CHARGE, to determine
candidacy.
3. Report your results with the hearing instruments
to the Hearing Care Specialist over a three week
test period.
Qualified candidates will be selected on a first-
come, first-served basis so please call us TODAY
to secure your spot in the Product Field Test.
Participants who qualify and complete the product
test will receive a FREE $100 Restaurant.com Gift
Card* as a token of our thanks.
AVOID WAITING – CALL AND MENTION CODE: 21AprField
*One per household. Must be 55 or older and bring loved one for familiar voice test. Must complete a hearing
test. Not valid with prior test/purchase in last 6 months. While supplies last. Free gift card may be used toward
the purchase of food at participating restaurants where a minimum purchase may also be required. See
restaurant.com for details. Not redeemable for cash. Promotional offer available during special event dates only.
†If you are not completely satisfied, the aids may be returned for a full refund within 30 days of the completion of
fitting, in satisfactory condition. See store for details.